HISTORY OF ST. NATHY’S COLLEGE, BALLAGHADERREEN:

1810 – 2007. - [Page 3]

In the sixties the then president, Fr. Thomas Fleming, built a recreation hall and an assemble hall cum theatre. The project, designed by Brendan P. Geffers Architects Dublin, was considered too costly and so was modified. A large recreation hall with elaborate features such as dipped tiled ceiling, copper roof and ornate masonry gable ends was built by James Faragher of Tuam. The architects were John C. Thompson and Company, O’Connell St. Limerick and the Consultant Engineers were Lyons, Boland and McArdle. The hall was nearing completion when Fr. Fleming died unexpectedly in March 1965 and it came into use for the first time as centres for the Leaving and Intermediate Examinations in June 1965. The revisions and modifications that were carried out during the construction phase caused many delays and problems and inflated the costs.

Subsequently the hall was used for projecting films, as a visitor’s reception area and for recreation with chess, tennis and recorded music. The old recreation hall and boot room became a shoe locker room. The lockers were heated and ventilated and intended for change of shoes and for drying football togging gear. A washroom equipped with showers, foot baths and hand basins was built adjacent to the old boot room. A new exit to the yard and direct assess to the Recreation Hall was opened through the end room in the old building which had functioned as a tuck shop and classroom. Along the connecting corridor and along the Recreation Hall gable an ambulatory was provided.

The next major influence on St. Nathy’s was the introduction of the Free Post-Primary Education scheme which came into operation in September 1967. Gradually the number of day boys increased as fees were paid by the Department of Education and also resulting from the provision of free school transport for students who resided more than three miles from the nearest post-primary school. The effect was that enrolment of about 200 boarders in 1967 declined to 170 in 1976 while, in the same period, day boys increased to 136, for a total of 306. All classrooms were stretched to capacity and additional accommodation was sought.

The temporary solution was the provision of three prefabricated classrooms. The first was located in the area between the Old College and the Garden. In 1975 M. O’Carroll and Associates, Roscommon designed a prefab unit of two classrooms and cloak room which were erected in the Garden between the Oratory and the toilets. As well as an expansion in student enrolment there was also an expansion in the curriculum and steps were taken to have Mechanical Drawing and Woodwork taught for the Intermediate Certificate. This also involved co-operation with Roscommon V.E.C. and Ballaghaderreen Vocational School. An arrangement was made whereby the College and the Vocational School shared their specialist teachers as both schools expanded their curriculum range of available subjects. From 1964 such co-operation had enabled Agricultural Science to be taught in the College.

The downturn in Agricultural prices and income in the late sixties, together with increasing burdens of farm management and the outstanding debt on the Recreation Hall, led to the sale of most of the College farmland and the dairy herd about 1972. Fr. Charles Joseph Doherty also carried out considerable repairs and refurbishment of the Military Barracks. New windows were fitted, the building was re-roofed, the walls were stripped of ivy and replastered. The contractor was Eugene Madden. The kitchen was modernised under the direction of Sr. Maureen Lally.

The need for further expansion was recognised and planning was initiated and advanced by three presidents Fr. Thomas Flynn, Fr. Robert Flynn and Fr. James Colleran who took the New Building project to the contract signing stage in May 1982. Fr. Andrew Johnston (the incoming president) took responsibility for the construction and, sixteen months later, saw the completion of two new science laboratories, a Drawing Room, Woodwork Room, Biology Demonstration Room, seven classrooms, office, staff room, social areas and toilets. The architects were Jeffers, Kearns and Associates, Galway. Brian Reilly & Associates were the quantity surveyors. Kevin Madden, Galway was the consultant for mechanical and electrical services and the contractors were Mulhers Brothers, Crossmolina.